Rug supporting table



Sept. 23, 1958 G. C. CARTER ETAL RUG SUPPORTING TABLE Filed July 28,. 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1958 G. c. CARTER ETAL 1 2,853,031

RUG SUPPORTING TABLE Filed July 28, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS' 6801 51? 04 CA R1512, F/eA/vc/s D. Rana/v CLAY C. CARTER, FRA/vc/s D Roman/,JR

ATTORNEYS n ed States Patent 2,853,031 Patented Sept. 23, 1958 RUG SUPPORTING TABLE Grover C. Carter and Francis D. Rohan, Oakland, Clay C. Carter, Castro Valley, and Francis D. Rohan, Jr., Hayward, Calif.

Application July 28, 1955, Serial No. 524,878

8 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) This invention relates to a rug supporting table. Some rugs, such as braided rugs, are made from a strip of material, by sewing the same into a generally oval shape. The sewing starts with a central strip of braid of a de sired length, which is doubled back and the adjoining sides are sewn together. The braid is bent around the end of said central strip and is sewn to the other side of the same. Then the braid is gradually sewn around the ends and along the straight sides in form of a spiral until said rug reaches the desired size. With each braid added,

the rug increases in length and width and weight and soon becomes too bulky and heavy for one operator to handle, as the rug had to be constantly moved longitudinally, when the braid is sewn to the sides, and around, when the braid is sewn to the ends at the ever increasing radii.

The object of this invention is to provide a table, the top of which is adapted to be moved longitudinally a predetermined distance, and thereafter, to turn around in one direction only and then again move longitudinally in the same direction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a table of the class described, the top of which can be easily expanded to accommodate the ever increasing size of the rug sewn thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a table the top of which can be moved and rotated easily without any elfort on the part of the operator.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the claims hereto an+ nexed.

In this specification and the annexed drawing, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best but it is understood, that the invention is not limited to such form; and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the table support.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1, some parts being broken away to disclose the inner mechanism of the table support.

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow 3.

Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating the rug sewing operation.

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the table support illustrating the rotation of the table frame.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a detail of said table support.

Fig. Sis a perspective view of the standard, partly broken away to disclose the inner mechanism thereof.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan .view of the table top, and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a detail of the bottom of the table top.

The rug supporting table generally indicated as 1, is used in connection with a sewing machine 2, which is movable to and from said table 1 by means of V-shaped wheels 4 on which it rests and which are adapted to roll on the rails 5. The sewing machine 2 is provided with a special knurled roller 7 rotatable by the sewing machine motor 8 through a shaft 9. A pressure roller 10 located above the roller 7 presses a braid 12 and the edge of a rug 13 on said roller 7, which pulls said braid and the edge of the rug 13 under a needle, not shown in the drawings, whereby the same become sewn together. The braid 12 of suflicient length to make a. complete rug is stored in a box 11 located near said sewing machine.

The rug 13 is formed by sewing said braid spirally around an initial strip 14 of a predetermined length, which determines the size of the future rug. The braid is sewn along the straight sides of the initial strip 14 and around the ends alternately. At the beginning of the sewing operation an operator uses an ordinary table in connection with a sewing machine. When the rug reaches such size as it becomes too large and heavy to be handled by one operator on said ordinary table, the rug is placed on the table 1. The latter, as shall be described in detail hereafter, is so constructed that its top moves longitudinally a certain distance to permit the braid to be sewn to the straight sides of the rug; and thereupon said top rotates 180 and the table top is ready to move again longitudinally in the same direction.

The table 1 comprises a standard 20, a sliding table frame 21 and a table top 22.

The standard 20 consists of a plate 24 which is secured to the floor. The plate 24 supports a hollow cylindrical base 25 welded thereto and terminating with a heavy metal disc 26 covering the same. i

A stationary column 27 is secured to said disc 26 which column extends upwardly the whole length of said standard. Spaced from said column by bearings 29 is a heavy sleeve 30 adapted to rotate about said column. The sleeve 30 terminates with a large circular top plate 31 which supports the slidable table frame 21.

The frame 21 consists of two parallel side bars 33 arranged equi-distant from the center line of said column 20 each bar having on its outer side a rail 34. The side bars 33 are connected by two end bars 35 and by a plu rality of intermediate crossbars 36. The latter carry a controlling bar 38 secured thereto exactly in the middle between the side bars 33. i

The top plate 31 has secured thereto a pair of parallel angle irons 39 each carrying a pair of spaced horizontal rollers 40 each of which is located near the end of said angle irons. Each pair of rollers 40 abuts the rail 34,

thus keeping the side bars 33 in alignment with said angle irons. The angle irons 39 are considerably shorter than the side bars 33. The frame 21 is slidably supported in spaced relation with the top plate 31 by transverse rollers 41 arranged in pairs, one above the other, and located 1 near each end of said angle irons 39. The rail 34 slides between said transverse rollers, so that the frame 21 slides easily and eifortlessly longitudinally back and forth.

The ends of said frame 21 adjustable carry stops 43, which limit the longitudinal movement of the frame when the ends of the angle irons 39 come in contact with said stops 43. The frame 21 is also rotatable about the column 27 as said frame is connected with the sleeve 30 by means of said angle irons 39 and the top plate 31.

The column 27 is closed on the top with a segment 47 upon which an are 48 somewhat less than 180 is welded,

said are being concentrical with the center of said column.

At the ends of said are are provided rollers 49 and 50 respectively, which rollers normally are in abutment with i one side of the controlling bar 38. The rollers 49 and 50 are so arranged that they are tangent to a circle which may be inscribed as a continuation of the inner surface of the are 48. The controlling bar 38 is arranged on the central longitudinal line of the frame 21, and is of such length that when the frame 21 is moved to its extreme position, i. e., when the stops 43 abut the ends of the angle irons 39, the end of the controlling bar 38 clears the roller 50.

The rollers 4-9 and 5!) being abutted by the controlling rod 38, do not permit the frame 21 and the sleeve to rotate. But when the frame 21 is moved to its extreme position and the end of the controlling bar 38 clears the roller 50, the frame 21' with the sleeve 30 is permitted to rotate as shown in Fig. 6. When the frame 21 is rotated, its end describes an arc of 180 and its longitudinal motion is arrested in one direction by-the' stops 43 and in the opposite direction by the end of the controlling bar 38 sliding along the are 48.

The sleeve 30 also carries 011 its outer surface near its lower end a pair of stops located opposite each other. The stop 55 operates in connection with a spring pressed catch 56 which is fulcrumed at 57 to the disc 26. The stop 55 and the catch 56 prevent the sleeve 30 to rebound upon the completion of 180 arc. The catch 55 is connected to a retractable cord 61 by means of which the operator pulls the catch 56 and releases the sleeve 30 for counter rotation. This arrangement is provided for the purpose of permitting the operator to rotate the table frame 21 in the opposite direction whenever the need arises, such as when a thread is broken immediately after the table has completed its rotation through the 180 arc.

The table top 22 consists of a central portion secured to the frame 21 by means of brackets 61, carried by the bars 35. The central portion 60 is of a generally oval shape and includes semi-circular ends 59 connected by a straight section 58. The center of the arc of the semi-circular end 59 coincides with the center of the column 27 when the frame 21 is moved into its extreme position. The central portion 60 carries a plurality of cleats 62 hinged thereto at their ends 63. The cleats extend outwardly beyond the portion 60 and may be locked in horizontalposition by some means such as a bolt and a wing nut 64 passing through a slot 65 in said cleat. When it is desirable to extend the size of the table top, the cleats 62 are brought in horizontal position and leaves 67 are placed on them to make up the sides of the table, and arcuated leaves 68 are placed at the semi-circular ends 59. The leaves 67 and 68 are comparatively narrow, so as to provide comparatively small addition to the central portion 60.

The table top 22 may still be increased in its size by adding a leaf 70 to each side of said table top. The leaf 70 consists of a straight portion which runs along the straight portion of the leaf 67 and an arcuated portion 71 at each end extending substantially 90 and running along the curved portions .of the leaves 67 and the curved leaves 68. The'leaf 70 is supported by a pair of hinged cleats 73, which are held in horizontal position by bolts and wing nuts 74 passing through slots 75 in said cleats. The leaf 70 may be secured to said cleats permanently, and when necessary, it may be swung into horizontal position and held in place as above said. The leaf 70 may further be supported by arms 76 fulcrumed to the leaves 67', said arms having the end of the same directed inwardly and supported by a catch 77 secured to the central portion 60. The outer end of said arm supports the leaf 70. The ends of the leaves 70 are sup ported by a board 78 secured to the lower side of the leaf 70 at" the very end thereof upon which board the end of the other leaf 70 rests. Both ends are supported by a cleat 80. V

The size of the tabletop may be. still further increased by adding additional leaves 81, each of which includes 4 a straight portion and an arcuated portion at each end, each of which is supported by a plurality of arms 84. Each arm 84 is fulcrumed at-85 to the adjoining leaf 70 and has its end inwardly directed end supported by a catch 86 secured to the leaf 67. The outwardly directed ends of the arms 84 support the leaf 81. Additional leaves 87 may be added to increase the size of the table top still further. The construction of the leaves 87 is the same as that of the leaves 70 and 81 and the leaves 87 are supported in the same way as thev leaves 81. The leaves 81- and 87 are joined in the same way as the leaves 70.

The operation of the device is as follows. As has been previously stated, the rug 13 is made by gradually sewing the braid 12 about the initial strip 14 to its side around its end, to the other side, around the other end and so on. The rug is sewn at the beginning on an ordinary table and when it becomes too large and heavy for an operator to handle, the rug. is transferred to the table 21, the sewing machine being. moved very close to the same on the rails 5. The rug is carefully centered on the portion 60 so that the centers of the arcuated ends of the rug coincide with the centers of the semi-circular ends 59 of said portion 60. The sewing machine 2 by its knurled roller 7 pulls the rug 13 along said machine, together with the table top 22 and the table frame 21. There is sufiicient friction between the rug 13 and said table top to affect the movement of the latter but if it is not suflicient, some weights may be placed on the rug to increase" the friction. between the same and the table top.

The table frame 21 and the table top 22 with the rug 13 thereon slowly slides in direction away from the operator until the table frame 21 reaches the extreme position. Thereupon, the operator begins to sew the braid 12 to the semi-circular end of the rug 13, and thereby gradually rotates the table frame 21 through an arc of whereupon the table frame 21 is ready to move again longitudinally in the same direction. This operation is repeated again and again until the rug 13 reaches the desired size.

If a thread runs out, or is broken immediately after the table frame completes the 180 swing, and the operator needs to swing the table back in order to sew the braid properly to the rug, he pulls the retractable cord 61 and releases the catch. 56, thereby permitting saidtable frame to' swing in the opposite direction.

We claim:

1. The combination of a sewing machine and a table for supporting a rug. being sewn from a continuous strip of material; said sewing machine including means for moving. the same toward and away from said table; said table consisting of a standard including a stationary column and a sleeve rotatable around said column; a table frame slidably supported by said sleeve, a controlling bar secured to said table frame; guide elements secured to said column, said guide elements and said bar controlling the linear movements of said table frame until the latter slides into an extreme position and permitting said table frame and sleeve to rotate when the table frame is in the latter position; and a table top secured to said table frame.

2. The combination of a sewing machine having means for travelling longitudinally back and forth with a table for supporting a rug being sewn by said machine from a continuous strip of material; said table consisting of a standard secured some distance away from said sewing machine; said standard including a stationary column in the center of said standard and a sleeve around said column and rotatable thereabout; a table frame carried by said sleeve with freedom of longitudinal movement;

I means limiting said longitudinal movement of the table frame to a predetermined distance, means carried by the column for preventing the table frame from rotation until said table frame reaches its extreme position, said last mentioned means permitting said table frame to rotate 180 and thereupon to resume its longitudinal move ment; and a table top carried by said table frame.

3. A table for use in connection with a sewing machine for supporting a rug being sewn from a strip of fabric comprising a standard including a stationary column and a sleeve rotatable around said column; a table frame, means on said standard for slidably mounting said table frame for longitudinal movement in relation to said sleeve; means on said frame and on said column for preventing rotation of said frame and sleeve, said last mentioned means permitting rotation of said frame and sleeve only when said frame is slid to its extreme position in relation to said sleeve; and a table top carried by said table frame.

4. A table for use in connection with a sewing machine for supporting a rug being sewn from a strip of fabric comprising a standard including a stationary column and a sleeve rotatable around said column; a table frame, means for slidably securing said table frame to said sleeve; a controlling bar carried by said frame; an arc and two rollers attached to said column, one of the rollers at one end and the other roller at the other end of said are; said controlling bar engaging said rollers for preventing said frame from rotating until said frame is slid into its extreme position in relation to said sleeve; said controlling bar being of such length as to lose its contact with one of the rollers when the table frame is in its extreme position; said table frame being rotatable when the same is slid into its extreme position, said are in cooperation with said controlling bar keeping said table frame in its extreme position during the rotation of the same; and a table top carried by said table frame, and means for expanding the surface of said table top.

5. A table for use in connection with a sewing machine for supporting a rug being sewn from a strip of fabric comprising a standard including a stationary column and a sleeve rotatable around said column; a table frame carried by said sleeve; means on said standard for slidably mounting said table frame for moving a predetermined distance longitudinally in relation to said sleeve, means permitting said table frame and said sleeve to rotate 180 when the table frame is in its extreme position; and a table top carried by said frame.

6. A table for use in connection with a sewing machine for supporting a rug being sewn from a strip of fabric comprising a standard, including a stationary column and a sleeve rotatable around said column; a table frame;

means for slidably securing said table frame to said sleeve; a controlling bar secured to said frame; an arc and two rollers secured to said column, one of the rollers being secured at one end of the arc and the other roller at the other end of the same, said controlling bar slidably engaging said rollers for preventing the table frame from rotation until the latter reaches its extreme forward position, said controlling bar losing its contact with one of the rollers when the table frame reaches its said extreme position, and adapted to enter into a sliding contact with the arc, when the table frame is rotated to keep said table frame in said extreme position; and a table top carried by said table frame.

7. A table for use in connection with a sewing machine for supporting a rug being sewn from a strip of fabric comprising a standard including a stationary column and a sleeve rotatable around said column; a table frame slidably secured to said sleeve; a controlling means carried by said frame; guide means secured to said column for permitting the linear motion of said table frame in rela tion to the sleeve until said frame is slid into an extreme position and thereupon permitting the rotation of the frame and the sleeve; and a table top secured to said frame.

8. A table for use in connection with. a sewing machine for supporting a rug while the same is sewn of a braided strip, comprising: a standard including a stationary column and a sleeve rotatable about said column, a top plate secured to said sleeve, a pair of parallel supports carried by said top plate, a table frame arranged for longitudinal sliding between said supports; a controlling bar carried by said frame; an arc and two rollers secured to said column, one roller at one end of and the other roller at the other end of said arc; said controlling bar in cooperation with said rollers preventing said frame from rotating until said frame is slid into its extreme position in relation to said sleeve at which time said controlling bar is out of contact with one of the rollers; said table frame being rotatable when being in the extreme position and is kept in such position by said controlling bar sliding in said are; and a table top carried by said table frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,126 Everett et a1. Feb. 20, 1951 

